Franck Ribery has confirmed that he is officially retiring from football and that he’ll join Davide Nicola’s staff at Salernitana. The 39-year-old Frenchman joined I Granata in 2021 and while he managed to feature in much of that season, making 23 appearances, he struggled with injuries this year, managing just two games so far this season.
The former Bayern Munich star spent spent 12 years with the Bundesliga champions, making 425 appearances across all competitions, where he scored 124 goals and provided 182 assists. He won nine Bundesliga titles, six German cups, the Champions League title and the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Frenchman spent two years with Fiorentina before closing out his career with Salernitana. He confirmed his retirement with a brief statement on his social media platforms: “The ball stops. The emotions inside me do not. Thank you all for this great adventure.”
Salernitana coach Davide Nicola confirmed that Ribery will be joining his back room staff at a club press conference today:
“Having him on our staff is a pleasure, he could have done anything anywhere in the world and instead he has accepted to stay with us. He will be an all-round collaborator, he is a potential coach because of his personality, knowledge and ability to play down and read moments.
“He is now on the other side of the fence and will be able to perceive different dynamics. And I still like his willingness to learn. I hope he can be by my side on the bench tomorrow.”
[Image from Salernitana FC]
